


A Witch and Her Black Cat

by mel_dr



Category: The Magicians (TV), The Magicians - Lev Grossman
Genre: AND GAY, Cupcake deserved better, F/F, based off of @stellabaeve's tumblr post, so did Marina, this is so fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-27 11:00:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10016819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mel_dr/pseuds/mel_dr
Summary: How Marina got Cupcake.orRather how Julia coerced Marina to take in a stray black cat.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this is me trying to cope with the loss of Marina and her fuzzy baby. this is loosely based of of this post http://stellabaeve.tumblr.com/post/157758311347/cupcake-was-a-lost-kitty-who-always-scratched-at

The first time Marina hears the scratching, she is sitting on her couch, feet curled underneath sweatpants clad legs, a thick book in her hands and a steaming cup of coffee on the nightstand. The sound is so soft and quiet she thinks it’s her imagination, and simply shrugs it off, takes a sip of her drink and turns the page. The next time she hears it, Marina knows that it is not just in her head. She gives her apartment a once-over, making sure that no one had broken in because, after all, it wouldn’t be the first time considering she is on a lot of people’s shit lists.

When she can tell that nothing is out of place, Marina lets out a sigh and returns to her book. There are a few moments of blissful silence until the scratching returns. Eyebrows furrow in frustration.

“What the hell?” Marina huffs, uncurling herself from the leather sofa and placing her book on the cushions. The infuriating sound continues as she follows it to the front door. Her irritation grows once she sees that no one is standing outside after glancing through the peephole. She opens the door anyway.

The hallway is dark and vacant and just as Marina is about to shut the door she hears it.

 _Mew_.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding,” Marina says looking down on the small and furry animal. At her feet is a rather small black cat.

 _Meowww_.

“No, go away.” The cat tilts its head looking at her with large yellow eyes. Rubbing the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger, she says, “I do not have time for this.” She almost feels bad for closing the door. Almost.

She reads for the rest of the evening ignoring the scratches at the door.

~~i~~

It isn’t until a few days later that the cat shows up again. Marina was seated at her kitchen table, Julia on the opposite end and a plethora of spell books in between them. The day had been going well, Marina teaching spells and Julia learning them with ease. This had been something of a routine for the two: Julia would come over and they would practice magic together, which was then followed by dinner while they talked aimlessly, and occasionally Julia would stay longer to watch a movie.

It has been so long since Marina has been genuinely interested in someone that she had almost forgot what it felt like to truly care for someone. To say that Julia is the first person Marina has actually _liked_ in a long time would be an understatement. She likes having someone to stay up late with, conversing with someone who loves magic as much as she does. She definitely likes the way Julia’s soft hands feel in her own when they do a spell together. And especially likes the way Julia’s whole demeanor lights up whenever they do a spell perfectly.

Although currently, the spell they are working on is a bit trickier than their usual ones. According to the book, if the words are said correctly and the hand gestures are done in just the right way, they should be able to manifest something akin to a fireball in the palms of their hands. That or they could accidentally burn the entire apartment complex down. No big deal.

“Jules, just focus-”

“I’m trying… Wait.. hold on. I think I got it,” Julia says, hands waving, fingers bending. It seems to have worked when a small flame appears to glow just above her palm. Then suddenly there is a bright flash and Julia hisses, clutching her hand to her chest, the flame dissipating into the air.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

“Oh my god, Julia. Are you alright?” Marina immediately reaches for Julia’s hand.

“I just lit my hand on fire. Do you think I’m alright?” The question is sharp, but holds no malice. Her features contort into a grimace, and Marina can’t blame her for snapping; she would have done the same.

“You’re right. Dumb question.” Long pale fingers run over the lightly burned flesh of Julia’s hand. The skin is warm under her touch and Marina enjoys the contact no matter how shitty the circumstance may be.

“It’s not that bad. Just stings a bit,” the shorter girl offers, averting her eyes. Marina can’t help the corners of her lips curling upwards when she notices the faint blush on Julia’s cheeks. It could be because Marina makes her nervous or that she is just embarrassed. Marina is assuming it is the former.

She examines the burn a moment longer then stands up. “I’ll be right back,” she announces, walking to the bathroom, where she keeps a first aid kit. When she returns, Marina is surprised to find that Julia is not in her chair, but is leaning out her apartment window onto the fire escape.    
  


“What do you think you’re doing?” Marina asks incredulously.

 _Meow_. God fucking dammit.

Julia spins around with a large smile gracing her lips and a black cat draped in her arms. “I didn’t know your neighbors had a cat! Do you have any scraps or anything for it to eat?” Her fingers run the length of the cat’s back, and it purrs loudly in return.

The red-haired woman purses her lips. “They don’t. And, no, I am not giving that stupid stray food. It can go scratching on someone else’s doorstep… Or, I guess, window.”

“Aww, Rina. C’mon, she’s hungry.” Julia stares at her with her pleading brown eyes, bottom lip jutting out subtlety. Fuck.

 _Meow_. Two-to-one. Double fuck.

Marina huffs. “Fine, but just this once!” She places the first aid kit on the table. “And only after I take care of that burn,” she adds with a stern look.

Julia nods eagerly, beaming. With the way Julia is smiling, Marina cannot find it in herself to be mad at the stray animal.

~~ii~~

Feeding the cat was a bad idea, Marina realizes. Since that day, a faint scratching noise can be heard coming from the front door or the fire escape every day around dinner time, like clockwork. And everyday Marina watches in distaste as Julia happily places a small bowl of whatever leftovers they had from the day before in front of the fluffy feline.

So it doesn’t surprise Marina all that much when one night Julia asks, “What should we name her?”

“What?” She gawks, looking down at Julia, who currently has her head in Marina’s lap.  

“What should we name her?” Julia repeats.

“I know. I heard you.” Marina says. Her fingers weave braids lazily into the thick brown locks splayed across her legs. If there was one thing she liked touching more than Julia’s hands, it was her hair. “Jules, there is just one thing wrong with that question.”

Dark brows raise inquisitively.

“You see,” Marina starts. “If we were to give that cat a name that means I would have to care about her. Which I don’t.”

Julia laughs at that. “You totally care about her!”

“No, I do not!”

“You sure? Not even a little bit?”

Marina sighs dramatically. “Fine. If it makes you feel better, I _do_ care about that dumb cat. But only the smallest bit.”

“Ha! I knew it!” The brunette smiles smugly.

She makes you really happy so, of course, I like her, is what she wants to say but doesn’t. Instead she settles for, “Well, only because she is good for getting rid of food that will spoil otherwise.”

Julia giggles and turns so she is resting in her side, her nose almost touching Marina’s midsection. The taller woman takes in a sharp breath of air when Julia starts to trace shapes against Marina’s thigh with her hand.

“So, I was thinking about names. Shadow? Oh, maybe Spooky! Wait, what abo-”

“Cupcake.” Marina interrupts.

This time, it’s Julia who gapes. “What?”

“You heard me. Cupcake.”

“Out of all the names you could’ve possibly picked, you picked fucking Cupcake? No offense, but that name is kinda cliche and stupid.”

“It’s a stupid cat that deserves a stupid name. Cupcake is a stupid name. And besides, I like cupcakes; so honestly, I don’t see the problem.”

Julia shakes her head, a playful smile on her lips. “Fine. Cupcake it is.”

~~iii~~

_Meow_.

 _Meoww_.

 _Meowwww_.

“Fine! Jesus fucking Christ!” Marina cries exasperatedly. A gust of cold air fills her loft when she opens the window, and in with it hops Cupcake. The soaked black cat lands on the floor with a resounding _thud_ as she closes the window again.

To say that Marina hated thunderstorms would be the understatement of the decade. She absolutely despised them. Ever since she was a little girl, they have given her terrible anxiety, and as a result would always seek solace in her father’s arms. The only difference is that now he is gone and there is no one to protect her from the loud clap of thunder that makes her jump every few minutes. Well, no one except this stupid cat.

“C’mere,” she says reaching down and wrapping her arms around the damp fur ball. With the wave of her hand, Cupcake is dry and warm, like a towel fresh out of the dryer. “There, all better.” She purrs loudly.

Marina places the Cupcake on the floor and goes back to her spot on the couch. Once a blanket is wrapped tightly around her, she settles between the cushions.

 _Crack!_ She inhales sharply and closes her eyes.

She can do this. She is Marina fucking Andrieski for fuck’s sake. She can handle a shitty thunderstorm.

_Crack!_

She hadn’t realize how rapidly her breath had became until she felt a pressure on her chest. Wide yellow eyes peer into her own.

“You scared too?” She asks softly. The small black animal rubs her soft face against Marina’s cheek.

It is not long until Cupcake settles comfortably on Marina’s chest, whickers grazing Marina’s freckled cheeks. Cupcake has soft fur, Marina notices. This is the first real time she has ever actually touched the cat. Julia has always been the one to feed her, pet her, and even on one occasion, to bathe her.

“Yeah. Who’s a good kitty?” The redhead coos, stroking Cupcake’s coarse fur. With the cat laying so close to her ears, Marina can hardly hear the sound of thunder.

_Mew._

Maybe this cat won’t be such bad company after all, she thinks.

~~iiii~~

Julia practically bounds into the apartment the next morning. In her right hand is a tray with a tall black coffee for Marina (she is still unable to understand how Marina can actually drink it plain) and a cup of chai tea for herself. In her left, is a small bag with a present for Marina. A small pink collar with a nametag that reads _Cupcake_ in a elegant calligraphic font. A present to the cat, really.

“Marina, you won’t believe what I just bou-”  Julia stops mid sentence when she see the two on the couch.

Marina’s long limbs are draped over the edges and Julia thinks that there is some sort of anti-gravity spell that is keeping her from falling to the floor at that very moment. Her long red hair is fanned out across the pillow, and nestled cozily in the crook of Marina’s neck is none other than Cupcake. She pulls her phone out and opens her camera

“Oh my god!” Julia says after snapping several photos.

“J-les,” Marina yawns, her voice thick with sleep. “Could you keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep here.”

“It is almost noon, Rina.” Julia plops down on the edge of the leather couch. Gently, she reaches out and pulls a drowsy Cupcake into her lap.

“Really?” Marina sits up and reaches her arms over her head, her back popping as she does so. Her shirt rides up, exposing a vast amount of pale skin. Julia swallows hard, heat rising to her cheeks.

“Y-yeah,” She clears her throat to gain some semblance of composure. “And I brought gifts!” She holds up the drinks with a smile.

Marina offers her a grateful smile and takes her coffee. “What’s this?” She asks taking the small bag from Julia’s hand. She pulls out the collar and beams. “God, you’re such an extra bitch sometimes.”

The brunette shrugs with a grin. “But I’m your extra bitch.”

“Yeah, you are.” A breathy laugh escapes Marina’s lips as she snaps the collar around Cupcake’s neck. “And you,” she addresses the black cat. “You are just a bitch.” Marina runs her hand through Cupcake’s fur. “But honestly, what kind of a witch would I be if I didn’t have a black cat?”

_Mrrph._


End file.
